A two-day stakeholders inception workshop for the preparation of Nigeria’s Third National Communication (TNC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held from Tuesday, May 2 to Wednesday, May 3, 2017 in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
According to officials of the Department of Climate Change (DCC) of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organisers of the event and promoters of the venture, the preparation of the TNC would, among others, enable the country to prepare improved climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Dr Yerima Peter Tarfa, Director, Department of Climate Change, delivering a welcome addressClimate change expert and negotiator, Prof. Olukayode Oladipo, making a presentationMrs Kolo Mohammed making a contributionParticipants at the workshopFormer Director of DCC, Dr Samuel Adejuwon, making one of several presentations
The Government of Afghanistan on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 deposited its instrument of accession, thereby becoming the 43rd future Party to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Dr Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan. Photo credit: AFP PHOTO/Wakil Kohsar
This comes after Burkina Faso and Canada ratified the global treaty on April 10 and April 7, 2017 respectively. Canada’s ratification was preceded by those of Ghana, Honduras, Liechtenstein and Togo, among others.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global treaty aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury, was agreed at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC5) in Geneva, Switzerland on Saturday, January 19, 2013.
A minimum of 50 nations are required to ratify the Convention to make it legally binding, a scenario that will ensure that the First Conference of the Parties (COP1) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, scheduled to take place in the last week of September, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland, becomes a reality.
Nigeria is one of the 128 signatories to the global treaty, but she is yet to officially ratify it. The nation’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 approved the ratification of the Convention.
Ratification automatically makes a nation a Party to the Convention with the duty to domesticate its content.
The signing of the Convention would enable such a country to:
Develop a National Implementation Strategy (NIS)/Action Plan to holistically address challenges relating to the reduction and elimination of Mercury;
Undertake a comprehensive inventory as a basis to develop and implement a more robust Mercury preventive programme which will include the identification and location, contaminated sites and extent of contamination, storage, handling and disposal to ensure that mercury related activities do not result in further damage to health and the environment;
Enhance national capacities with respect to human resources development and institutional strengthening, towards addressing concerns about the long-term effects of Mercury on both human health and the environment and also to ensure the effective domestication of the instrument that will be implementable at national level;
Sensitise the populace and policy makers on the hazards of mercury;
Develop and implement Mercury Release Minimisation Projects; and,
Control mercury supply and trade.
Major highlights of the Minamata Convention include a ban on new mercury mines, the phase-out of existing ones, the phase out and phase down of mercury use in a number of products and processes, control measures on emissions to air and on releases to land and water, and the regulation of the informal sector of artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The Convention also addresses interim storage of mercury and its disposal once it becomes waste, sites contaminated by mercury as well as health issues.
From May 2 to May 13, the U.S.-based, non-profit organisation Clitoraid on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 launched a two-week humanitarian mission in Nairobi, Kenya, offering for the first time clitoral restorative surgery to victims of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Dr. Marci Bowers, Clitoraid’s gynecological surgeon
According to Clitoraid spokesperson, Nadine Gary, this new mission is part of the multiple actions planned during the month of May, the month of Clitoris Awareness.
“Dr. Marci Bowers, Clitoraid’s gynecological surgeon, will operate on 40 women in Kenya.
Clitoraid is partnering with the Kenyan non-governmental organisation Garana and Dr. Abdullahi Adan, a plastic reconstructive surgeon in this endeavor.”
“Dr. Bowers will restore sexual pleasure to 40 patients,” Gary said. “But those having surgery next week are only a few of the many FGM survivors who have contacted us, desperately seeking to be made whole again.”
According to a 2013 UNICEF report, a quarter of all Kenyan women are victims of the barbaric custom of FGM, also known as “cutting.”
Gary said Bowers will also train local surgeons during her stay in Kenya.
“She’ll present the clitoral restorative technique developed by French urologist Dr. Pierre Foldes,” Gary explained. “Clemence Linard, our clinical sexologist in France, will also participate, offering counseling to patients and sharing her expertise with Kenyan sexologist Dr. Tammary Esho, who volunteered to assist.”
Clitoraid’s humanitarian mission began in 2004.
“International spiritual leader Maitreya Rael during one of his visits to West Africa in 2003, learned of the gruesome practice of mutilating girls’ genitals,” Gary said. “He launched Clitoraid not just to launch an educational campaign against FGM but to provide the surgery that repairs the damage inflicted on its victims.”
Gary said Clitoraid has already operated on over 250 FGM survivors, mainly in the United States, where 500,000 victims reside today.
“Among our former patients is Jaha Dukereh, a U.S. resident born in the Gambia,” Gary said. “Last year she was named one of Time Magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People’ in recognition of her anti-FGM activism. She calls her restorative surgery through Clitoraid ‘a life-changing experience’.”
Meanwhile, Clitoraid’s first hospital dedicated to FGM victims and their medical needs in West Africa is still awaiting licensure in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
“Corrupt male politicians and greedy doctors prevented our 2014 opening, oblivious to the anger and despair of countless local FGM patients,” Gary said.
The latest Africa Attractiveness Survey, which provides an analysis of Foreign Direct Investment into the continent, has ranked Nigeria as the 17th destination for FDI in Africa.
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria
The report, which was released on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 by EY Africa, a financial advisory services company that carried out the survey, showed that South Africa remained the biggest FDI hub in Africa.
Morocco was said to be Africa’s second largest recipient of FDI, followed by Egypt.
The report added: “In the west of Africa, recession in Nigeria resulted in FDI projects easing 3.8 per cent compared with 2015.
“With the plunge in crude prices, Africa’s largest oil exporter has been hit by a scarcity of foreign exchange, impacting businesses that are already grappling with issues, including insufficient power supply and complexity in paying taxes.
“On a more positive note, the sheer size of the Nigerian market and its diversification initiatives has led to a significant shift in the nature of FDI to the country.
“Should progress be made on various dimensions notably business enablement, governance and human development, Nigeria remains well-placed to become the largest FDI market in Africa over the next decade.”
According to the report, China was the biggest investor in Africa, with diversified investments across sectors such as mining and metals, services, pharmaceuticals, technology, infrastructure and manufacturing.
In 2016, according to the report, Chinese FDI created jobs three times the number of jobs created by the next biggest investor, which is the US.
The report said: “Besides trade and FDI, Chinese companies and state-related entities have financed and built many infrastructure projects across the continent.
“These include ports, roads, railways, dams, telecom networks, power stations and airports.
“One notable example is the October 2016 launch of a Chinese-built railway linking Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to the port of Djibouti, involving an investment of over 4 billion dollars.”
On US investment in Africa, the report said speculation that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy may be unfavourable to Africa was creating some uncertainty regarding the future of the US engagement with Africa.
Brexit was said to have negatively impacted Western European investment in Africa, with FDI easing from 10 per cent in 2015 to 6.1 per cent in 2016.
Also, jobs created by Western European investors declined by 81 per cent.
The report advised: “Governments across the continent will need to redefine their trade and investment relations with a post-Brexit UK.”
Also, according to the report, the biggest bottlenecks to achieving inclusive growth in Africa were globalisation, demography and technology.
It said: “Institutions such as the Africa Development Bank and the African Union, must take the lead in investing in cross-border infrastructure, such as connecting regional power systems, railway networks, air and maritime transportation.
“Governance must be tightened to help Africa compete globally for the capital required to support infrastructure development.
“Government need to invest in education and vocational training programme, adopt more flexible labor market policies and improve the regulatory environment for businesses to facilitate the growth of SMEs.”
The Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) in Ebonyi State has distinguished itself among other universities in Nigeria. This came to the fore in the 9th edition of the Nigerian National Mathematics Competition for university students held recently at the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja.
Leader of the FUNAI delegation, Dr. Louis Omenyi
Declaring the competition open, Executive Director of the Centre, Professor Stephen Onah, noted that Nigeria was in dire need of mathematicians to enable it surmount its present developmental challenges.
He added that the competition “is one of the Centre’s initiative to produce quality future mathematicians for Nigeria”, adding that “the best team will represent the country in the International Mathematics Competition.”
FUNAI was participating for the first time in the event, which also had 33 other Nigerian universities in attendance.
At the end of proceedings, the university was placed 8th overall and 1st among the universities that were participating for the first time in the competition.
The university was represented by a team of four students, namely: Nkume Friday Uzochukwu, Edigbo Vincent Onyebuchi, Ozor Emmanuel Ifeanyi and Onuora Ogochukwu Theresa, all of the Department of Mathematics/Computer Science/Statistics/Informatics.
The university representatives won medals in different categories. Ebigbo Vincent Onyebuchi won Silver medal with a total score of 71 points, taking 12th position out of 128 students from all the universities that took part in the competition. Nkume Friday Uzochukwu also won a silver medal with total score of 66 points in another category and Ozor Emmanuel Ifeanyi won a bronze medal with a total score of 43 points.
Speaking after the event, the leader of the university delegation, Dr. Louis Omenyi, said: “Though we got the invitation very late and the time of the competition was also very close to the first semester examinations, yet we still made an impressive result.”
He added: “The success is excellent and marvelous and I hope that by the next competition we will come first”, and thanked the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, for his unquantifiable support to the team which made them to excel in the competition.
Speaking on behalf of other participating students, Edigbo Vincent Onyebuchi, a final year student of the university, thanked the University Management for giving them the opportunity to represent the university in the competition, noting that their success was as a result of the Vice Chancellor’s uncompromising stance towards academic excellence.
He further expressed optimism that the university, having come this far in its first attempt, would definitely clinch the overall first position in the nearest future.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nwajiuba, has congratulated the students and their handlers for making the university proud; charging them to ensure that by the next edition of the competition the university would occupy the prime position.
The competition was won by University of Uyo, while Federal University of Technology, Akure and University of Ilorin were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is hopeful of an excellent outing when the country’s representatives at this year’s World Table Tennis Championship, compete in Douseldolf, Germany.
Segun Toriola
World number 26, Haruna Quadri, Segun Toriola, Ojo Onaolapo, Omotayo Jide, Funke Oshonaike, Edem Effiong and Akpan Cecelia make the men and women who will be doing the country proud at the competition.
Secretary to the NTTF, Bola Adedeji, said the players had been well motivated to deliver in Germany.
“The players are happy and in top shape and are set for the world championship.”
Nigeria’s contingent to the championship who will take part in the men’s and women’s events are expected to leave the country on the 27th of this month, when the World Table Tennis Championship in Germany is expected to serve-off through to the 6th of June, 2017.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said that it will soon invite World Unified Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Anthony Joshua, to the country.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who made this revelation in a statement, added that the country is proud to be associated with the newly-crowned unified heavyweight champion, whose Nigerian heritage he has publicly acknowledged.
He hailed Joshua for his humility despite success in boxing and his undying spirit coming up from the canvas after he was knocked down by Wladimir Klitchsko.
Ogun State Government has also revealed plans to honour Joshua.
On Tuesday, May 9, 2017 during the Technical Expert Meeting in Bonn, Germany, the newest volume of the Compendium on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Baselines and Monitoring will be officially launched. This publication, the Passenger and Freight Transport Volume, is said to be a comprehensive guide through existing methodologies for GHG quantification of different types of transport mitigation actions.
Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, which coordinated the compendium
The Compendium is a UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) coordinated, multi-stakeholder effort to provide a resource map of methodologies, methods, and tools for establishing baselines, and monitoring emissions reductions from mitigation actions. The Compendium covers methodologies in all IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) sectors.
The Passenger and Freight Transport Volume provides readers with an overview of available methodologies for the mitigation action they are considering. The methodologies presented in the volume were chosen with a view to cover a broad range of different mitigation action types in terms of scale, type of intervention and affected modes. Additionally, focus was put on interventions with significant mitigation potential.
The Passenger and Freight Transport Volume covers more than 30 methodologies, which are structured into eight different mitigation action types:
Intra-urban mass rapid transit investments
Comprehensive urban transport programmes
Vehicle efficiency improvement programmes
Alternative fuels incentives
Inter-urban rail infrastructure
Freight transport infrastructure investments to shift mode
National fuel economy standards
Pricing policies (still under development)
In addition to its official launch, the Transport Volume will be highlighted in the following events:
Wednesday, May 10 2017, 1 – 2:30 pm (German time): Webinar on MRV of Measures in the Transport Sector – New volume of the Compendium on GHG Baselines and Monitoring
Friday, May 12 2017, 12 – 3 pm, Bonn: Round Table Discussion – NDC Implementation and Transparency in Transport
The publication is coordinated by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat and the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SloCaT), with funding from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), and written with the assistance of the Centre for Clean Air Policy (CCAP).
It is almost four years since the climate and water related global partnership known as “WISE-UP to Climate” was formed, to advance knowledge on utilising natural water ecosystems and built physical infrastructure to foster socio-economic development.
Without healthy ecosystems in well-functioning watersheds, built infrastructure for irrigation, hydropower or water supply may not function sustainably
The essence of WISE-Up’s work has been to prove that, without healthy ecosystems in well-functioning watersheds, built infrastructure for irrigation, hydropower or water supply may not function sustainably, let alone achieve the economic returns necessary to justify investments made. This has been informed by the current practice were decisions on river basins are normally based on built infrastructure, while the natural infrastructure is often not taken into account.
The focus areas for its activities are the Volta River Basin in West Africa and the Tana River Basin in East Africa.
It has concentrated its research on developments in the White Volta River, a tributary of the Volta that passes through the Pwalugu Township along the Tamale-Bolgatanga highway in the Upper East Region. Thus, the partnership has been working with public, private and not for profit institutions, organisations and academia in Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The ultimate goal is to ensure that decisions on any new developments such as the proposed Pwalugu Multi-use Dam (PMD) are made consciously considering the need to ensure that the natural functioning of the ecosystem are secured and not compromised. The research results, which are still being finalised, are expected to contribute to the feasibility studies on the PMD.
Studies have dwelt on the benefit functions of the ecosystem, looking at the socio-economic services it provides for the people; the political economy of water infrastructure decisions and governance; and trade-offs between natural and built infrastructure benefits in the Upper White Volta.
As a follow-up to the research activities, the members of WISE-UP has held its 5th Action Learning Forum with a range of decision makers and professionals in two separate meetings in Accra on the 3rd and 4th of April, 2017.
They were briefed on the progress made so far in terms of research findings and training of stakeholders. The session on the socio-economic services was facilitated by Dr. Marloes Mul of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Laetitia Pettinotti of the Basque Centre for Climate Change. They mentioned the natural ecosystem benefit functions as including flood recession farming, fishing in riparian ponds, and habitat function being the significant population of hippopotamus for tourism.
Other specific ecosystem benefit function include supporting the Bagre hydropower dam, irrigation dam at Kanonzoe and domestic water supply at Ziga all in Burkina Faso; while in Ghana there is irrigation at Pwalugu. Proposed future infrastructure activities on this tributary include doubling of water supply from Ziga to Ouagaduogou, expanding the Bagre irrigation and the construction of the PMD.
Dr. Mul and Ms. Pettinotti used different models to project that these functions link the flow of the river to its potential economic value, represent different beneficiaries and can be mutually exclusive. They noted that the natural ecosystem is currently supporting subsistence livelihood of communities.
Discussion on the political economy was led by Dr. Beatrice Mosello of the UK Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and examined issues that influence and bring about change such as the actors, the processes through which change can happen, why change is needed and whom it will be for.
For instance in the scenario of the PWD, the participants were of the view that people in authority will naturally spearhead change looking at the bigger picture of creating jobs and enhancing the livelihood of the people. In doing this, there will be the need for dialogue with the communities whose livelihood are directly based on ecosystem services and are likely to have their livelihoods altered by any physical developments. They will in turn need to be convinced that the change will be for their betterment.
Naturally, such a trend in the decision-making chain, demands trade-offs where actors are required to thoroughly weigh the available options to ensure that what they settle for will be mutually beneficial to all parties including the ecosystem.
Come November 2017, a closing meeting of this phase of WISE-UP, which focused on data gathering, will be held during which full results of the various research works will be presented. The meeting will discuss ways of re-packaging the data collated into practical tools for implementation.
Dr. Emmanuel Obuobi of the Water Research Institute said capacity building is a crucial aspect of the WISE-UP activity and so far seven basin training sessions have been organised in various locations in both Ghana and Burkina Faso for stakeholders. These include the training of 20 stakeholders in Ghana on developing climate products to support climate change adaptation; training of 60 stakeholders in Ghana in Integrated Decision Support System; and training of 21 stakeholders in Burkina Faso in Hydrological Modelling in Soil and Water Assessment Tool/Climate scenario downscaling.
He said three more basin training sessions have been planned for this year, during which will be trained in using trade-off analysis to support and inform decision making and planning among other things.
Dr. James Dalton, the IUCN Head office in Switzerland’s representative on the WISE-UP Team, announced that as WISE-Up prepares to wind up its initial activity, discussions are on-going to develop and submit a concept for a phase two of WISE-UP. The expectation is for a politically supported and demand driven process, with a vigorous ecosystem adaptation decision-making stance.
WISE-UP 2 should result in the practice of adaptation by ensuring that the right thing is done in the right place and at the right scale, and integrate the project into the activities of existing implementing institutions.
Dr. Dalton expected WISE-UP 2 to focus on implementation and upscaling of activities, and said funding opportunities exist under the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This is a global initiative under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, to assist developing countries to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
The Chairman for the meeting, Dr. Charles Biney, who is the Executive Director of the Volta Basin Authority (VBA), said WISE-Up has succeeded in placing ecosystems in the agenda of institutional discussions. He stated that “the just completed Draft Water Charter for the Volta Basin was influenced by WISE-UP.”
Nigerian singer/songwriter Tiwa Savage is the newest face to join Rotary’s “This Close” public awareness campaign for polio eradication. A paralysing and life altering disease, polio is on the verge of becoming the second human disease ever to be eliminated worldwide after smallpox.
Tiwa Savage
Savage, who has been described by CNN as Nigeria’s biggest pop star, will help Rotary achieve its goal of a polio-free world by raising awareness about the vaccine-preventable disease. Savage administered a vaccine to children in Lagos in late April. Nigeria regularly conducts mass immunisation campaigns to vaccinate every child under the age of five in the country.
The singer’s participation in this programme comes at a critical juncture. Last year, Nigeria experienced a polio outbreak that paralysed four children after passing nearly two years without a case of the disease. Her involvement in the campaign will raise important awareness that will help ensure the outbreak is stopped.
“This is a cause that hits close to home for me, not only as a mother of a small child, but as a proud Nigerian, whose country has been battling this disease for many years,” said Savage.
Savage’s musical career began when she was 16 years of age as a backup singer for George Michael. Before going out on her own, she worked with many other well-known musicians, such as Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson, Andrea Bocelli, Mary J Blige and many more.
Tiwa Savage is also a successful songwriter. She was signed to Sony/ATV Music before establishing her own label 323 Entertainment which teamed up with Marvin Records in 2012.
Last year, Savage signed with Roc Nation as a management client. Already a superstar in her home country, her social media has amassed to a staggering 2.9 million followers on Instagram, 1. 8 million on Facebook, and 1.7 million on Twitter.
Savage announced her new partnership with Rotary last week in New York City at a World Immunisation Week event. As part of the “This Close” campaign, Savage will be featured in ads raising her thumb and forefinger in the “this close” gesture with the tagline “we’re this close to ending polio.” Since the initiative launched in 1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to less than 37 cases in 2016.
The Nigerian music star joins other public figures and celebrities participating in Rotary’s public awareness campaign, including Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; actress Kristen Bell; Supermodel Isabeli Fontana; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu; action movie star Jackie Chan; boxing great Manny Pacquiao; pop star Psy; golf legend Jack Nicklaus; conservationist Jane Goodall; premier violinist Itzhak Perlman; Grammy Award winners A.R. Rahman; Angelique Kidjo and Ziggy Marley; and peace advocate Queen Noor of Jordan.
Rotary launched its polio immunisation programme, PolioPlus, in 1985 and in 1988 became a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and more recently the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Rotary’s roles within the initiative are fundraising, advocacy, raising awareness and mobilising volunteers. To date, Rotary has contributed more than $1.6 billion and countless volunteer hours to fight polio. Through 2018, every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to $35 million a year. To date, more than 2.5 billion children have been immunised against polio.
Nigeria’s national beach soccer team, the Super Sand Eagles, on Monday night crashed out of the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Bahamas, losing 1-2 to Iran on penalties after full time ended 4-4.
Super Sand Eagles after winning their second group stage match against Mexico at Bahamas 2017
The Sand Eagles went into the game needing to beat Iran in extra time to qualify into the quarter-finals of the competition, but the Iranians were able to force the game into the decisive shoot out.
Nigerian goalkeeper Dami Paul saved Hassan Abdullahi’s opening spot kick but Victor Talli and Sulaiman Obodo missed their spot kicks as the Eagles failed to advanced into the quarter finals of the competition.
Goals from Victor Talli, Emmanuel Ohonoreria, Godspower Igudia and Bartholomew Ibenebau for Nigeria were canceled out by a brace from Mohammed Amadasa and two overhead kicks from Mohammed Muktari before the match went into penalties.
Africa’s other representatives at the competition, Senegal, advanced into the quarter finals, where they would meet Italy.
In a related development, organisers of the Wimbledon Open are set to announce it’s steady rise in prize money for this year’s tennis championship, as the tournament seeks to counter the pound fall in value, following the Brexit votes.
Last season’s singles champions, Andy Murray and Serena Williams, took home £2 million each from total prize purse of £28 million.
This was a 26.4 percent in pay rise on 2015 prize money, but this year’s increase could be significantly larger as the All England Club aims to compensate for the falling pound.
The amount is expected to be announced on Wednesday and prize money has to be £2.2 million to maintain its dollar value compared to previous years.
